EVEN Max Boyce, the president of Glynneath Golf Club, would have struggled to get a bigger laugh.

With the rain belting down, we were left in a bit of a fix after teeing off at the third when our buggy threatened to get stuck in the mud.

When we resorted to one driving the thing and one pushing, we didn't consider all the consequences.

The buggy was fine, unstuck and ready to roll once more, but the one of us who had volunteered to push was left covered from head to toe in flecks of mud when the other suddenly put his foot on the gas.

How we sniggered. Okay, how one of us sniggered.

The good news for your intrepid reporter was that heavy rain came — and came, and came — to ensure much of the mud was soon washed away.

A golf towel did the trick on his glasses, and we were soon back hitting our way round a course which is something of a hidden gem.

The dreadful weather conditions meant we were playing millionaire's golf — we had the course to ourselves — when we went up the Neath Valley.

No-one else would have been dull enough to head out for a round on one of the wettest days of the year.

But with proper work to do on every other day of the week, we were determined not to miss our early morning tee time.

In the end we had to give in to the weather, heading for a warm shower after nine holes rather than the full 18.

But by then we had got a flavour of this part woodland, part parkland track. And we liked it.

"I have seen it grow from humble beginnings to mature into one of the finest courses of its kind in the land," says Boyce.

"It presents a fair and formidable test of golf for players of all ability."

Okay, so Boyce, a Glynneath boy, might be a little biased.

But he's right. We reckon it is well worth nipping up to the Brecon Beacons National Park to play at this friendly venue, where a host of interesting holes are cut in spectacular countryside.

Not that we saw much of it mind you, what with the thick, heavy cloud — not to mention the mud on the glasses.

Plans are already in place for a return visit.

Armed with sun cream and contact lenses.

HOW MUCH? Monday £12, Tuesday-Friday £18, and £25 weekends. There are also four-ball deals and society rates.

CAN YOU GET ON? Yes, visitors are welcome at Glynneath seven days a week.

WHERE IS IT? Leave A465 on slip road for A4109. Go right at the lights, then turn left after Halfway House pub. Go through Pontneathvaughan village, up the hill and club is on the right.

BEST HOLE: 7th — we only played the front nine, and we liked this downhill par four, even though there's an unhelpful tree in the middle of the fairway.

HARDEST HOLE: 4th — it's stroke index one for a reason. A brute of a par four which requires two mighty hits to make the green.

DID YOU KNOW? Although the course already had 18 holes, Glynneath have recently built four new ones. So if you haven't been for a while, it's worth seeing the new layout.

AND ANOTHER THING: A purpose-built junior golf academy has also been created at Glynneath, making it one of the few courses in Wales to boast such a facility.